Almost Innocent Read Online Free PDF

looked stricken at the note of sharpness, as if her trust in him had in somewise been misplaced. “If my questions were impertinent, my lord, I ask your pardon.” Her voice was stiff to disguise her hurt.
    “They were not, just overly numerous,” he replied. “But they were fair questions. Now, must I ask you again for your answer.”
    “Am I to go alone?”
    Lord de Gervais sighed. “The Lady Elinor and your own maids will accompany you, and Lady Elinor will remain until it is seen that you are well established in the care of my lady wife.”
    He would have a wife, of course, although Magdalen strangely found herself rather wishing he had not. “And . . . and my father?” she continued. “But of course he cannot leave the king’s defense.” She answered her own question. “He will remain here.”
    “Lord Bellair will remain here,” he replied, quietly deliberate in his choice of words. The child’s father would be present at her wedding.
    “When must we leave?”
    “Is that my answer?”
    Magdalen looked out from the battlements, over the bleak, frowning country. She heard the tediously familiar sounds of fortress life rising from the courts beneath.Her father must come to London sometimes to do homage to his liege lord, the king. And she was tired unto death of this dreary place . . . and a maid must be wed, after all. What would it be like to see London? To live there? She had never left her home before. Her prospective husband sounded pleasant enough . . . and a maid must be wed, after all.
    She turned a pair of sparkling eyes upon him and a radiant smile, the first he had seen. “I will be ready to go with you, my lord, whenever you wish.”
    He laughed. The smile was delightfully infectious. “Then let us rejoin the company. The betrothal will take place this evening after vespers.”
    A thought struck her as she followed him back down to the court. “Edmund de Bresse, sir—what does he know of me?”
    “Why, that you are comely, wellborn, well dowered,” he responded easily. “He needs to know no more.”
    “But how could you know I was comely if you had not seen me? I might be most dreadfully pocked, or crooked of limb, or squint-eyed, or—”
    “But you are none of these things,” he rejoined. “And I was told so by the Lord Bellair in a letter some months past. These matters are not decided in haste.”
    “It is strange it was never mentioned to me before,” she mused, prancing down the stairs at his side. “And I consider it most unjust that I should be whipped on the day of my betrothal. Had I known you were to come, I would have had no need to visit mad Jennet for a spell to make something happen.”
    Lord de Gervais fortunately found the logic impeccable. He managed to murmur a soothing agreement of the injustice while avoiding any discussion of the reasons why she had not been forewarned of the plans made for her.
    All was bustle in the great hall when they returned as preparations were made for the feast in honor of thevisitors. Lady Elinor left her supervision of the setting of the high table when she saw them and hurried down the hall.
    “Magdalen, you must go and sit quietly in my parlor. You are to dine in the hall this day, but until you are summoned I would have you keep well out of trouble. My lord, I will have you conducted to the guest chambers. My brother will await you in the south turret when you have refreshed yourself.”
    “Oh, but I will conduct my lord to his chamber,” Magdalen said eagerly, slipping her hand into the enormous one beside her. “I will fetch rosemary from the pleasaunce to lay upon his pillow.”
    Lady Elinor blinked in some startlement and Guy de Gervais laughed. “I’faith, my lady, I would be honored if you would permit her to do so. Such tender consideration for a guest can only be commended.”
    “Indeed, sir, I believe you are right,” Lady Elinor said. “But ’tis somewhat unusual. However, one must not stifle good